Korean Job Discussion Forums

mithridates · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 10:10 am Post subject: Same-same

I'm sitting in a cafe in Calgary right now (here till Christmas) and I just heard a girl to my right say
"Hahaha! Same-same!" Shocked

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

Is she Cambodian or Thai?

mithridates · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 11:06 am Post subject:

She's Canadian and white. This place is populated only by office people.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

A note should be sent to the Oxford Dictionary people. This could be the first recorded incident marking the beginning of Konglish as the new international language.

mithridates · Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2004 2:00 pm Post subject:

Either that or the first sign of the apocalypse? Wasn't there a bit in Revelations about that?

helly · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: WORLDWIDE

Forget Oxford, send it to the Korean media. The Korean people must know that Konglish, an invention unique to Korea and its pure blooded people is now gaining international acclaim and being widely used in Canadian coffee shops. The news could be bigger than kimchi being the most popular dish in Japan or the K-pop culture explosion throughout Asia!

turtlepi1 · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

I've heard this phrase used by "whities" for a long time now. (In Canada)

I guess it could be the influence of ESL teachers coming back and infecting people but I'm not actually sure about that...

Zed · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Good point. A lot of so-called Konglish is just Asian english. Ballpen & handphone come to mind. Functional everyday english that works most anywhere now.

I first used 'same-same' by accident, shortly after arriving here. Drinking with some young guys who turned away to drink & felt sheepish to smoke I was trying to explain that in my culture it doesnt matter. We're equals -- same, same -- pointing at them then me. Well suddenly I was talking korean! & we went on to have a great evening.

trevorcollins · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

dzeisons · Joined: 14 Oct 2004

in indo the locals are fond of saying 'same-same but different'. can't say i've noticed koreans say 'same-same'.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

On trips back home if I'm herding my neices and nephews in and out of the car I always exclaim, "Bali-bali".

It's in the system now.

inexhile · Joined: 18 Feb 2003

Wisco Kid · Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Location: Changwon

I've heard "Same-same" a lot in Thailand, and I also heard it in Nepal. I've never heard it in Korea. In Thailand they sell T-shirts that say "same-same" on the front and "but different" on the back.

If it got carried over to Canada, it was most likely from SEA backpackers, not ESL teachers. Unless they taught ESL to save up money for backpacking across Southeast Asia.

mithridates · Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:18 am Post subject:

Over in Alberta there's an election and everybody's talking about AISH (Assisted Income for the Severely Handicapped), a program that funds people who can't work.